I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a locking system for a file cabinet and, in particular, to a rotatable cam lock which engages the individual drawer and simultaneously blocks the interlocking mechanism of the file system.
II. Background of the Invention
File systems typically include a plurality of drawers or cabinet doors positioned in a vertical arrangement to maximize storage space. In the case of drawers, the individual drawers are slidably extractable from the cabinet to allow access to the interior contents of the drawer. A flip up door may be employed to enclose the individual storage units facilitating access from the front of the unit rather than the top as in a drawer. In order to maintain stability of the cabinet, it is preferred that only one drawer be allowed to be extracted at a time. Interlocking systems have long been employed which prevent multiple drawers from being opened in such cabinets. However, the prior known file systems employ interlocking systems which are separate from the overall locking assembly for the cabinet. The increased part requirements for such a separate locking system increases the costs and complexity of manufacturing of the cabinet.